From humble beginnings to global success, the 17 most successful media franchises have grown into money-spinning empires, spanning films, TV series, merchandise, video games and much more.

Read on to discover the highest-grossing entertainment juggernauts in history, ranked by estimated total revenue. Some of the entries WILL surprise you.

All dollar amounts in US dollars.

King launched the mobile gaming app Candy Crush in 2012 in partnership with Activision Blizzard, now a part of Microsoft Gaming. The match-three puzzle game quickly became a global phenomenon and has surpassed three billion downloads to date.

On King’s 20th anniversary in 2023, the company announced Candy Crush had generated $20 billion (£15bn) in lifetime revenue, cementing its status as the most successful mobile game of its kind. Regular content updates, like seasonal events and new levels, help the app maintain a loyal and ever-growing fan base.

The Cars media franchise launched with the release of Pixar’s animated movie in 2006. It quickly evolved into a cultural sensation, spawning a film franchise, spin-offs and a merchandising empire.

Since its launch, the franchise has grossed an estimated $21.5 billion (£16.2bn). The bulk of that comes from merchandise sales, which total $19.1 billion (£14.4bn). The film trilogy, along with the Planes spin-offs, brought in $1.8 billion (£1.4bn) at the box office, while DVD and Blu-ray sales added another $634 million (£478m) – making Cars one of the most commercially successful animated properties of all time.

Released in 2005, Dungeon Fighter Online was developed by Neople, a South Korean subsidiary of video game publisher Nexon. Originally launched on PC, the action role-playing game has since expanded to mobile platforms. As of 2023, it boasts over 850 million registered players worldwide.

Dungeon Fighter Online has grossed $22 billion (£16.6bn) in lifetime revenue. To put that figure into perspective, that’s more than the total worldwide box office takings of the Harry Potter and Star Wars film franchises combined.

The Transformers media franchise began in 1984 as a toy line launched by Hasbro in partnership with Japanese company Takara (now Takara Tomy), with the designs created by Japanese anime artists Shōji Kawamori and Kazutaka Miyatake. The brand then expanded to include comic books, an animated series and, most famously, a blockbuster live-action film franchise directed by Michael Bay.

To date, Transformers has grossed over $25 billion (£18.8bn). Merchandise sales make up the bulk of this at over $19 billion (£14.3bn). Meanwhile, box office revenues total $5.2 billion (£3.9bn), with another $906 million (£683m) in revenue coming from home entertainment sales. 

The Spider-Man media franchise began as a comic book series created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962 for Marvel. Over the decades, the beloved superhero has swung far beyond the page, with the intellectual property (IP) expanding into multiple blockbuster film franchises (produced by both Sony and Disney), bestselling video games and even a Broadway musical.

Altogether, Spider-Man has achieved a lifetime gross of $26.8 billion (£20.2bn). That figure includes $14.5 billion (£10.9bn) from merchandise, $11.1 billion (£8.4bn) at the box office, $787 million (£593m) from home video sales, $212 million (£160m) from the Broadway show and $210 million (£158m) from video games.

The Batman media franchise began as a DC comic book in 1939, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Since then, the Caped Crusader has expanded into film, television, video games and a money-spinning merchandise empire.

The Batman IP has generated an impressive $29.8 billion (£22.5bn) since its inception. Retail sales of products, ranging from toys to games to collectibles account for the lion’s share at $21.3 billion (£16.1bn). The franchise has also earned $7 billion (£5.3bn) at the global box office, $1.2 billion (£905m) from home video, and $340 million (£256m) in television revenue.

Call of Duty, a first-person shooter video game created by developers Steve Fukuda and Zied Rieke, was launched by Activision Blizzard (now part of Microsoft Gaming) in 2003. Famed for its action-packed multiplayer mode and gritty wartime storytelling, the series has become one of the most popular gaming franchises of all time, with over 500 million copies sold as of 2023.

To date, the franchise – which boasts 100 million active monthly users – has grossed a phenomenal $31 billion (£23.4bn) and counting. The latest entry, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, was released in October 2024.

The Hello Kitty character was created by Japanese illustrator Yuko Shimizu and businessman Shintaro Tsuji (pictured) in 1974. The first Hello Kitty product, a coin purse, was released in 1975, targeting pre-teen girls. Since then, the brand has become a merchandising giant, beloved by teens and adults alike, with products ranging from toys and accessories to home appliances and even a Louis Vuitton Hello Kitty Mini car.

The IP has grossed $32.8 billion (£24.7bn) in total, primarily through merchandise sales, with a modest $61,487 (£46.3k) earned from three animated films released in Japan.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was launched in 2008 by Marvel Studios with the release of Iron Man. Now overseen by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009, the franchise also includes collaborations with Sony for select Spider-Man films. There are 35 MCU movies to date, with the latest, Captain America: Brave New World, released in February 2025.

So far, MCU films have grossed over $31.1 billion (£23.4bn) at the global box office, plus an additional $2.7 billion (£2bn) from home entertainment sales, bringing the total to $33.8 billion (£25.5bn). It's worth noting that this figure is solely for the cinematic universe and excludes revenue from other sources, such as comics and merchandise. This means Marvel’s actual IP value is likely much higher.

The Wizarding World was launched by British author JK Rowling with the release of the first Harry Potter book in 1997. Since then, it's spawned a film franchise by Warner Bros., video games, theme parks, a studio tour and even a stage play. It's no surprise total revenues have reached a magical $34.7 billion (£26.1bn).

The total gross includes over $9.6 billion (£7.2bn) at the box office and $8 billion (£6bn) from book sales. The Wizarding World IP has also earned $7.1 billion (£5.4bn) in merchandise sales, $4 billion (£3bn) in home entertainment, $3.5 billion (£2.6bn) from video games, $1 billion (£753m) in TV revenue, $975 million (£735m) from the studio tour and $427 million (£322m) from the stage play.

Barbie began life as a fashion doll created by Ruth Handler (pictured) and launched by Mattel in 1959. While the doll was already a cultural icon, Barbie officially became a media franchise in the 1980s with the release of an eponymous video game in 1984. Since then, the brand has expanded into animated films, books, accessories and a record-breaking live-action movie starring Margot Robbie.

To date, the Barbie franchise has grossed over $36.3 billion (£27.4bn). The bulk comes from merchandise sales at $34.6 billion (£26.1bn), followed by $1.4 billion (£1.1bn) at the global box office and $328 million (£247m) from home video sales.

Anpanman began as a picture book series created by Japanese author and illustrator Takashi Yanase in 1973 and published by Froebel-kan. The franchise has since expanded into an animated TV show, toys and merchandise, and even a dedicated museum.

To date, the IP has grossed over $38.4 billion (£28.9bn), ranking as one of the highest-earning children’s media franchises in the world. The vast majority comes from retail sales, while the Anpanman Museum has brought in an additional $14.5 million (£10.9m). 

The Disney Princess franchise was officially launched in 2000 by Andy Mooney, then chairman of Disney Consumer Products. While the characters themselves had appeared in animated films for decades, this unified brand brought together iconic heroines like Snow White, Cinderella and Belle under one banner.

Spanning movies, merchandise, books and more, the Disney Princess franchise has grossed an estimated $45.4 billion (£34.2bn). Retail sales account for the vast majority of that figure, while home entertainment sales have contributed an additional $14.7 million (£11.1m).

The Star Wars franchise was launched in 1977 with the film created by George Lucas and produced by Lucasfilm, now a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. What began as a low-budget space opera grew into a global media powerhouse, spanning films, TV shows, video games and toys.

To date, the Star Wars franchise has grossed an estimated $46.7 billion (£35.2bn). The largest portion comes from merchandise sales at $29 billion (£21.9bn), followed by $10.3 billion (£7.8bn) at the box office, $4 billion (£3bn) from video games, $1.8 billion (£1.4bn) from book sales, $1.2 billion (£905m) in home video, and $280 million (£210m) in TV revenue.

Winnie the Pooh was created by author A. A. Milne and illustrator E. H. Shepard in 1924. Originally a beloved children’s book character, the franchise became a global sensation after being licensed by Disney. Since then, it has expanded into films, TV shows and merchandise.

To date, the Winnie the Pooh franchise has grossed an estimated $48.8 billion (£36.8bn). Retail sales lead the way at $48.3 billion (£36.4bn), followed by $545 million (£410m) at the box office and $40 million (£30m) from DVD and Blu-ray sales.

Mickey Mouse & Friends was created in 1928 by Walt Disney and animator Ub Iwerks, birthing Disney’s most iconic character. These cartoon shorts evolved to become the heart of The Walt Disney Company, spanning films, TV shows, theme parks and merchandise.

To date, the franchise has grossed an estimated $61.2 billion (£46.1bn). Most of that comes from retail sales at $60.7 billion (£45.7bn), followed by $323 million (£243m) from VHS and DVD sales, and $226 million (£170m) at the box office.

Launched in 1996, Pokémon began as a video game created by Satoshi Tajiri and developed by The Pokémon Company – a joint venture between Nintendo, Creatures Inc. and Game Freak. It's since grown into the most successful and profitable media franchise of all time.

To date, Pokémon has grossed an incredible $98.9 billion (£74.5bn). The vast majority comes from retail sales at $91.6 billion (£69bn), with upwards of 12 billion Pokémon cards sold each year. That's followed by $6.1 billion (£4.6bn) from mobile games, $1.2 billion (£905m) at the box office, $38 million (£28.6m) from home video, and even $3 million (£2.3m) from themed jet aircraft liveries used in promotional airline partnerships.

Now discover the highest-grossing film franchises of all time